The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget and to reject the Mayor's draft statutory strategies. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south bank of the River Thames, close to Tower Bridge. The assembly is also able to investigate other issues of importance to Londoners (transport, environmental matters, etc.), publish its findings and recommendations, and make proposals to the mayor.

London Elects is the body that coordinates pan-London elections under the guidance of the London returning officer. It has two functions; one to liaise with the London boroughs and oversee the election of London Mayor, London Assembly and European elections, and secondly to communicate the elections, the process and the results to the public. It was founded in 2003.

The London Assembly comprises 25 members elected using the Additional Member System of proportional representation. Elections take place every four years - at the same time as for the Mayor. There are 14 constituencies each electing one member, with a further 11 members elected from a party list to make the total members from each party proportional to the votes cast for that party across the whole of London using modified D'Hondt. Parties must win at least 5% of the party list vote in order to win any seats. Members of the Assembly have the postnomial title 'AM'. The annual salary for a London Assembly member is approximately £54,000. The current chair of the London Assembly is Jennette Arnold. The Deputy Chair of the London Assembly is Darren Johnson.

London ⁱ/ˈlʌndən/ is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's leading financial centre alongside New York City and has the fifth-largest city GDP in the world (and the largest in Europe). London has been described as a world cultural capital. It was the world's most visited city during 2011 and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is an American-born British Conservative Party politician and journalist, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008. He was previously the Member of Parliament for Henley and editor of The Spectator magazine.

Johnson was educated at Primrose Hill Primary School, the European School of Brussels, Ashdown House School, Eton College, and Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Literae Humaniores. He began his career in journalism with The Times, and later moved on to The Daily Telegraph where he became assistant editor. He was appointed editor of The Spectator in 1999. In the 2001 general election he was elected to the House of Commons and became one of the most conspicuous politicians in the country. He has also written several books.

Under Michael Howard, Johnson briefly served on the Conservative front bench as the Shadow Minister for the Arts from April 2004 until November 2004. When David Cameron was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 2005, Johnson was re-appointed to the front bench as Shadow Minister for Higher Education and resigned as editor of The Spectator.

Andrew Hartley Dismore (born 2 September 1954) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden since 2012, and was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hendon from 1997 until 2010.

Dismore was born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, the son of a hotelier. He was educated at Bridlington Grammar School before attending the University of Warwick, where he received a LLB in 1975, and the London School of Economics, where he was awarded his LLM in 1976. He graduated from The College of Law in 1978.

Dismore joined the Labour Party in 1974. After a brief time during his studies when he worked as an education officer with the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union, he began his professional career as a partner with Robin Thompson and Partners Solicitors in 1978. He became a partner in the firm Russell Jones & Walker Solicitors in 1995.

He was elected as a councillor in the City of Westminster in 1982, becoming the Labour group leader in 1990. During his time there, he led the criticism of Shirley Porter and the so-called "homes for votes" scandal.

Brian Coleman FRSA (born 25 June 1961) is a Conservative Party politician and was a member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, England. He is a Councillor in the London Borough of Barnet, and was Mayor for 2009–2010. He was also Chairman and Leader of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) May 2008 to 5 May 2012.

He is a former Chairman of the Finchley Friends of Israel and remains a member of Conservative Friends of Israel. Governor at two local Secondary Schools, he is also involved with the Scouts and the Rotary Club, and is a vocal supporter of the rights of Falun Gong practitioners and the Greek Cypriot community.

Coleman has tended to take strong and often controversial lines on many topics including the development of Barnet Football Club, Hendon Football Club, Saracens and the London 2012 Olympic Bid. He is often accused of being against popular community sport. During the recent Copthall application Mr Coleman went on record as saying that his friend, Boris Johnson would never allow Saracens to build a new joint use community stadium. Both the Council and Boris Johnson passed the application despite Mr Coleman's objections.